RomanPunks is a retrofuturistic, cyberpunk derivative world-building project inspired by fine art, history and the cryptopunk movement.
A total of 1,000 RomanPunk characters have been frozen in time and minted as Non Fungible Tokens (NFTs) on the Ethereum, WAX, Polygon and Algorand blockchains.
RomanPunk characters are comprised of commoners and famous individuals based on Roman history, art history and pop culture.
The basis for RomanPunk lore and backstories is exhaustively researched by history/sci-fi buff and co-founder, Punktavian.
All images are drawn by hand by woman artist and co-founder, Cleopunktra, without the aid of AI or generative tools.
RomanPunks came into existence through early minting on OpenSea, promoting on Twitter and building a Discord community through giveaways and engagement. The idea of a cyberpunk-derivative ‘RomanPunk’ theme was in our heads for years, but it was the success of the Cryptopunks that became the catalyst for project conception and launch.
After a hard working first 60 days spent networking and attracting new collectors to RomanPunks, our community had begun to flourish and sales increased. We began to offer our collectors an opportunity to battle their NFTs in a tournament bracket powered by dice rolls.
Encouraged by the tight knit community and the carbon-neutral blockchain with lightning fast and low cost transactions, we launched 'romanpunksio' collection on WAX Blockchain as the first step to expand the backstories of our RomanPunk characters and the baseline for future development of a card game.
RomanPunks integrated with Chainlink Labs to utilize VRF (Verified Randomness Function) to host a giveaway raffle for our holders. We developed a smart contract on Ethereum which guarantees true random number selection on chain and can be used for a wide range of functions that require random selection.
After much anticipation in the community, we released our first WAX NFT card 'pack' through the Neftyblocks platform, which sold out in less than a week.
We launched our Twitch channel and begun building an audience by offering numerous giveaways of WAX NFTs from our collection, as well as giving participants a chance to win RomanPunk ETH NFT airdrops for taking top spot at the end of the 'season'.
As firm believers in a metaverse future and land owners in The Sandbox, we undertook to build the RomanPunk Colosseum on 1x1 land and entered our experience "Gladiator Bloodsport" into a GameJam contest. We will continue to build the Colosseum into a PVP arena and social hub once The Sandbox offers creators the ability to do so.
Thanks to the user friendly tools offered by NeftyBlocks, we launched a comprehensive blending system on WAX, allowing our collectors to blend the common NFTs they earn in our Discord RPG up into Legendary famous NFTs through the use of blending 'coins' that can also be earned on the Discord as reward for helping to promote the RomanPunks project.
We launched the VX collection on Polygon. Each owner of an ETH NFT gets their voxel equivalent airdropped to them, and these NFTs can be redeemed for official NFTs on The Sandbox Marketplace once available.
All 1,000 original, unique 1:1 RomanPunk characters hand drawn by Cleopunktra and minted on OpenSea.
The RomanPunk WAX NFT Trading Card Fighter Pack Series II consists of 3 NFTs randomly selected from over 236 characters.
Upcoming plans for RomanPunks include:
Below is a comprehensive and searchable directory of all 1,000 RomanPunk Characters.
Born 211 AD in Sirmium, Dug is a former slave who leads a motley crew of interdimensional rebels that travel through space time to revel in epicurean delights and wreak havoc on opulent patrician elites, embodying a spirit of defiance and indulgence across the multiverse.
Born 2112 AD in Neo-Galway, Lorc is a prominent spaceshipping magnate whose daughter was kidnapped by time traffickers and enslaved in the interdimensional metaverse. Now, Lorc spends countless hours plugged into the immersive darknet, financing a brigade of mercenary hackers and cyber investigators while forging a criminal empire of his own; all for the purpose of recovering his child and annihilating those responsible for the abduction.
Born 175 AD in Tolosa, Drusa was personal physician of Emperor Severus until she was blinded and exiled for administering an experimental treatment that failed to save his life. Cast through an interdimensional portal, she now labours as a sardonic mining company doctor on the Jovian moon of Io.
Born 525 AD in Camulodunum, Lanny is a notorious alcoholic cat burglar who audaciously stole from ex-Roman garrisons. A legend among thieves, known for daring heists and unbreakable streak of luck, Lanny spent all his money buying rounds of drinks for entire villages.
Born 123 BC on the mystical isle of Læsø, Sigrid comes from an advanced tribe of wealthy salt barons with access to interdimensional travel. When not gallivanting through the future, she spends her time training champion ‘golden retriever’ canines on her remote, bucolic island paradise.
Born 2025 AD in Neo-Volubilis, daughter of a textile magnate, Samia founded a clothing design empire after using an interdimensional portal to gain inspiration for fashion designs across time and space.
Born in 2145 AD on the red planet Mars, Rathien is a hot-tempered, relentless enforcer for cloned Hannibal Barca’s rebellion in Neo-Carthage. Freed from hard space labour, he hides from facial recognition drones while executing sabotage and assassinations against the corrupt governor Mordax Mazar and his cronies. Known for his mercenary tactics and short temper, Rathien’s methods frequently cause problems, but his loyalty and determination make him an indispensable, albeit troublesome, asset to the cause.
Born 179 BC in Sidon, Tanith was a merchant’s wife who escaped Carthage during the destruction by Cato the Elder by sneaking through an open interdimensional portal at the Temple of Melqart. To her chagrin, Tanith landed in the 22nd century benighted kingdom of Neo-Carthage where she keeps a low profile as a shopping mall retail clerk.
Born 126 AD in Colonia, Sextus is a bath house owner and sculptor famous for his phallic figurines. A follower of Bacchus, he caroused across dimensions to celebrate Saturnalia in search of new models for his exquisite statues.
Born 299 AD in an alternate dimension where Rome controlled Mesoamerica, as a child Zuma was found to possess telekinetic powers, so she was enslaved and trained to fight as a gladiator for the entertainment of kings.
Born in 185 BC in Alexandria, Raad is a dimension-hopping temple guard equipped with high tech defensive equipment to protect the treasures of the pharaohs from time looters and tourists.
Born 103 BC in Perinthus, Deif was a slave who toiled as an interdimensional drug mule until freed by his degenerate equestrian master who had an epiphany on Ayahuasca. Now Deif procures a cornucopia of psychedelic substances for Elektrosar, the timeless EDM festival that runs sempiternally in the ancient Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
Born 2205 AD on a large family estate near Viminacium, Lexia ascended to prominence as the senator instrumental in ending the cyborg wars. She also leads a dual life in the narcotic-fueled underworld of interdimensional cyber raves. By day, the diligent diplomat and servant of Rome; by night, the pursuit of ecstasy among a coterie of anti-imperial aliens, vampires and time travelers.
Born 25 BC in Tavium, Nyssa is a skilled seamstress and reveled in creating elaborate costumes for herself and others to wear at masked soirees. She was known for her ethereal beauty and her ability to transform into any character – past, present or future.
Born in 137 BC in Aventicum, Margaux was the mischievous daughter of an eccentric Helvetian sundial craftsman who discovered a telekinesis device in her father’s possession which she purloined and used to dominate her enemies in the gladiator arena.
